Blessed Thanksgiving

The Cleveland Pear Tree by Tammy Sons

The Cleveland pear tree is quickly becoming popular all over the world. The tree is a part of the same family as the Bradford pear tree. However in a comparison the Cleveland pear tree grows a lot faster than the Bradford pear tree can muster.

At its mature height the Cleveland pear tree can grow up to 30-40 ft. The tree also has the ability to mature to 25-30 ft as its overall width. Many people simply adore planting this tree in their yards and front yards to act as not only a source of beauty for their land but also a dominant source of shade.

The tree naturally grows itself into a tight symmetrical shape. However, the tree always resembles a perfect oval shape in appearance. Many people owe the way that this large tree grows to the wonders of nature.

The Cleveland pear tree is a sight to see during the early spring and into fall seasons. The leaves will avidly change to show the trees progression to the different climates that it finds itself in.

During the spring you will notice white blossoms will begin to sprout. When the tree is planted in warmer climates, it normally begins to blossom in late March. If the tree is in colder climates then you have to wait to enjoy the white blossoms that take effect until April.

However, many people will agree that the tree looks its best in the fall. The Cleveland pear tree will portray different colors of red, purple and orange all over its leaves. Ensure that the tree is put into direct sunlight at all times so you can get the full effect of the changes that this tree goes through during its life cycle.

The tree is resistant to droughts, which means you do not have to worry about excessively watering it all the time. Over watering the tree could result in its fatality so you want to ensure that upon planting the tree that you adhere to all the growing specifications that comes with it.

The best time to prune the tree is around the fall time. As the leaves begin to change colors you can easily shape the tree to go back to its oval shaped stature. However, there are a lot of growers and nursery professionals that will insist that you allow the tree to grow the natural way that it is supposed to.

The tree does not bear any fruit. The name of the tree is taken from the appearance of the large shade tree. Many people believe that the means by how the leaves form resembles a pear like shape.

A lot of people will plant the trees in their front, side or backyards in order to shade their homes from any excess sun. The tree is mainly planted for ornamental purposes; there is not any main use for the tree besides examining the beauty of the specimen.

A lot of people will plant the trees in their front, side or backyards in order to shade their homes from any excess sun. The tree is mainly planted for ornamental purposes; there is not any main use for the tree besides examining the beauty of the specimen.

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Allergies: Some Tips To Keep In Mind While Going Outside by James S. Pendergraft

Outdoor allergens are almost always in the form of pollen grains. These grains might belong to trees, grasses, and even weeds. Identifying the specific pollen you’re allergic to is the first step in ensuring that you don’t suffer these allergies repeatedly. Once you find out the culprit, you can easily avoid it thus saving yourself from unnecessary and uncomfortable allergic reactions.

If you find that your symptoms always occur in spring and winter then you’re probably allergic to pollen grains that belong to trees. Those who suffer allergies in the summer are most likely allergic to pollen grains emitted by weeds and grass. If your allergic reactions occur towards the end of summer or in the fall season, then pollen grains from weeds such as ragweed, tumbleweed and sage are responsible.

The reason so much importance is given to identifying the allergen is because your plan of prevention needs to be based on that knowledge. If you know which time of the year you’re most vulnerable then you can make sure you avoid going out or limit your outdoor activities in that particular season, taking extra precautions to ensure they don’t invade your home as well and remain outside. By doing this, you will not only save yourself of the strain related to the symptoms and avoid unnecessary medications, but you’ll also be reducing your chances of developing chronic sinus and other problems in the long run.

To avoid any kind of pollen, you must keep a watch on the news channels that generally report high pollen counts in an area. Avoid going out when the counts are high. It’s known that pollen counts are generally at their lowest right after sunrise and then start increasing there on. They’re at their highest at noon and in the afternoon. Avoid getting out until the sun sets which is when the pollen count is low again.

It’s not only important that you avoid the outdoors when the pollen count is high but that you also protect the indoors from an invasion of the pollen from outside. To this end ensure that you keep your doors and windows shut and the air conditioning turned on. This will help you stay allergy-free indoors.

When you do go outdoors it’s important that you don’t bring back harmful pollen into your home. Showering and changing your clothes after you come indoors and washing and drying clothes indoors helps avoid this. Other factors you can take care of include keeping your lawn mowed and taking vacations at the time of year when you’re most likely to suffer allergic reactions. It’s best that you get someone else to mow your lawn for you, however if that’s not possible, then make use of antihistamines before mowing and also wear a mask to protect you from pollen and dust during the mowing process.

If it’s mold that you’re allergic to then keep in mind that it gets worse in wet weather. Some spores are also abroad in the warm season. Stay indoors on days that are windy and/or rainy. Don’t engage in such activities as the raking of leaves, lawn mowing and gardening. Keep your surroundings clear of compost, fallen leaves and clippings of grass. If it’s raining make sure the water’s draining and flowing away. Get the drains cleared to enable this. Also make sure the air conditioner in your car isn’t encouraging mold. There are products available in Automobile stores to reduce this occurrence.

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Every year it is the same thing. You smell the hot scrumptious food stewing for hours; your mouth waters at the thought of the first taste. Minutes turn to unbearable hours. Your family members slowly accumulate and pick at whatever happens to beat to Turkey. Mom whips the potatoes while grandma makes the gravy. With everyone in such anticipation it is hard to keep your mindset on showing your appreciation for the meal before eating it. Some creativity as hostess will not only reduce the anxious crowd but also assist by involving your guests in the sharing of thankfulness prior to gobbling up the celebratory spread.

A less traditional technique can be found by inadvertently having grace recited by your guests. Pass around paper and pencils to each person. Have them write their name at the top. Instruct your guests to write a compliment or offer a thankful word for each person. This will not only take their minds off the food for a minute but it will also set the appropriate mood for the holiday. As Grace is given each guest can recite a few of their favorite remarks and relate their appreciation for the meal into the prayer. This, although not the formal thanksgiving routine, will add to the natural appreciation of the meal.

Many sources, such as the Bible, can provide a more traditional prayer. Some individuals will find it fitting to search through a few books and come up with relevant scripture for the holiday to incorporate into the Thanksgiving prayer. Others will simply relate the year’s high points and express appreciation for allowing everyone to gather rejoice together. Health, happiness and safety of family and friends are important to celebrate. Not everyone is great with words either. If there is a certain importance to the holiday with respect to the years happenings, some will hire a writer to compose a specific prayer designed around a specific message.

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Thanksgiving is the most important holiday of the year.

Oh, sure, Christmas is grand, and I know it has many, many fans. I’m not knocking Christmas, but Thanksgiving is more important. And Easter has its fans, too. Rebirth is a wonderful thing, but I still say Thanksgiving is more important. Yes, the kids might put in a good word for Halloween. I am sure they enjoy the costumes and the sugar overdose, but Thanksgiving is more important.

Why?

Because the two most important words in the English language are “Thank You”. This is true for business success, for social pleasure, even for self-actualization.

For business success, a thank you tells a prospect or partner that you are appreciative of what she has just done. It shows you have a genuine interest in that person and the business relationship.

For social interaction, expressing gratitude is equally important to show how you value the other person and the social relationship you have with him. Thank you is a bonding phrase.

But thanksgiving is most important on a personal level for our own happiness. This is true for anybody who has ever lived, but it is even more true for us today.

Consider how much we have. More than any of our ancestors, we live in the Land of Plenty. We have more than anybody who lived at any time before. And for those of us who live in the developed world, we have more than most people on our little planet even today.

I’m not just talking about “stuff”. Oh, sure, we have digital color televisions and computers that take us around the world faster than the speed of sound. And we have 31 flavors of ice cream waiting for us on every second street corner. And we throw out more “junk” than we ever needed to own in the first place.

But we have so much more than just stuff. Consider the following:

FREEDOM: More of the world lives in a democracy than ever before, and democracy is becoming more open or “democratic” with every year (perhaps in part due to the Internet).

OPPORTUNITIES: With freedom and affluence comes opportunity. We have more opportunity to make more money, to earn it the way we wish, to choose our profession, our location, even our lifestyle. Women have just about reached equality with men in most of the developed world, and more people are able to flee oppressive regimes.

KNOWLEDGE: Which came first, the chicken or the egg? With freedom, comes the ability to satisfy our curiosity: knowledge. And with knowledge comes a thirst for freedom. Let’s face it, the idea of “the ignorant masses” has become an anachronism. Even the dumbest among us has more knowledge than most people who lived a couple centuries ago. (I said more “knowledge”, not more “wisdom”, but that’s another topic.)

HEALTH: Just surviving past childhood used to be a major accomplishment. Now we expect to live into our 80s or 90s. And we expect – no, we demand – to have exceptional health care all along the way (even those who are afraid to go to the doctor!).

This list could keep growing, but I think these are the major benefits of living in the twenty-first century, especially in the developed world. What does that have to do with thanksgiving and happiness?

Well, follow this train of thought. Whatever you have, you can either appreciate or not. If you appreciate it — I mean really notice that you have it, that it is good, that you feel good about having it — it will bring you happiness. However, if you get used to it, take it for granted, and focus on getting something you don’t have, it won’t bring you happiness.

Appreciation is the key to happiness. Whatever you truly and proactively appreciate, whether “stuff” or education or a vacation, will bring you happiness. But in this fast-paced, dog-eat-dog, over-stimulated society how can we appreciate anything?

Sadly, many of us who have the most to be grateful for express gratitude the least and feel the least appreciation. It seems the more we have the more we want. The more we want, the less we appreciate what we have. The less we appreciate, the less value there is to having anything, which may explain why we keep wanting more

The secret to feeling that appreciation we often overlook is in expressing our gratitude vocally or in writing. How can we possibly fail to appreciate something when we say “Thank you” for it and focus our attention on the appreciation?

I offer several ideas on how to express gratitude in the “Get Happy Workbook” and my book “Climb your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness”, including keeping a gratitude journal, saying grace, practicing “bolsterism”, or just sending flowers, cards, or an appreciative e-mail message – to name just a few ideas. Perhaps the most useful of all ideas is to make Thanksgiving Day every day.

Christmas is important. Easter is important. Halloween is important for the kids. But for our own personal happiness, there is nothing like a truly heartfelt Thanksgiving.

About The Author

David Leonhardt is author of The Get Happy Workbook (http://www.T heHappyGuy.com/happiness-workbook.html) and Climb your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness (http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/happiness-self-help-book.html), and publisher of the free ezine: Daily Dose of Happiness. (http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/daily-happiness-free-ezine.html). Web site: http://www.TheHappyGuy.com.

amabaie@phastnet.com

Holiday traveling can be an extremely busy activity. This is no exception, even at Thanksgiving. Since Thanksgiving is the busiest travel time of the year there are more crowds of people, longer lines, and other issues that you have to deal with. Even if you can’t avoid travelling over Thanksgiving, you can be clever when reserving your travel. Following are some vacation ideas to ensure your Thanksgiving holiday is very enjoyable.

Step 1:

Make your arrangements as soon as possible. You won’t be surprised to hear that Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year. Due to the current recession, there are fewer Thanksgiving flights available and the cost of each rises daily. Once you’ve made the decision to travel at Thanksgiving time don’t delay - reserve your flights as soon as possible. You can’t underestimate the value of reserving your Thanksgiving flights a few months ahead of time. Similarly, confirm a place for a bus trip, renting a car, or a room at a hotel early!

Step 2:

Flexibility. You must be prepared to make changes to your plans. The more flexible you are on your departure and arrival dates for your Thanksgiving holidays, the better the deal you will get. If your schedule permits, you should try to travel a few days before or a few days after Thanksgiving, which is usually less crowded and stressful. A great benefit of reserving your Thanksgiving flight early is it will likely cost much less because you won’t be traveling during peak travel days.

Step 3:

Be the earlybird. The best thing to do is try to depart within plenty of time. If you have to fly around Thanksgiving, it is best to choose an early flight. You may be able to avoid delays. You can give up a little sleep and rest assured of arriving on time to your destination.

Step 4:

Night flights. A good option is to try to fly during night time hours. If you have to travel with kids then flying during Thanksgiving might be even more stressful. However, there are ways you can keep your kids occupied if you happen to be flying at night. Let the kids stay in their PJ’s so they can sleep while you drive to the airport. You can relax on your flight because you won’t be bombarded with “are we there yet?” from your kids. Try to reserve your Thanksgiving flight as late in the day as you can so that you and your kids will have a better experience.

Step 5:

Accommodation. People’s homes can get quite crowded over the holidays, so you might want to consider finding a hotel over Thanksgiving. You will love having your own space and being able to do whatever you want while away from home. Be sure to make your room reservations for Thanksgiving early to keep from having to stay with a relative.

Tiffany Provost writes about travel planning and other traveling tips for HowToDoThings.com.